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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

I’m so gutted about this but don’t feel strong enough to argue. Help please?

27 replies

InvisibleAgain · 23/06/2019 14:16

I know it’s pathetic but I am having major MH issues at the moment and my anxiety is so high that emailing this person (and the resulting panic waiting for a reply/backlash etc) is utterly beyond me. I have even namechanged for this even though I know this board is a safe space to share.

I saw this, it’s on a public page. I was all excited to participate - I am autistic and am always willing to help in studies especially those that contribute to the increasing awareness of autism in women.

And then I saw the participants list.

Sorry, no. A trans woman does not have a clue what it’s like to grow up as an autistic female. They haven’t grown up statistically more likely to be masking, to have their issues ignored because of boy autism stereotypes.

I don’t want my results skewed by people who say they were female all along when they were (given it asks for 16+) overwhelmingly likely not to have even been treated as a female for most of their childhood.

Autism and gender confusion is something I feel strongly about - I was convinced I should be a boy for years and I would absolutely have begged for blockers etc if they’d been available. But the way this is worded makes me think that’s not what this is. It’s inviting trans women to say how they experienced growing up as an autistic female.

Which they didn’t.

I’m so gutted about this but don’t feel strong enough to argue. Help please?
OP posts:
Apileofballyhoo · 23/06/2019 14:29

Could you email and ask if they are going to separate the answers from the people who grew up as female from the answers of the people who didn't? And explain about masking and female socialisation? You don't have to do it in a confrontational way or make any comment on people who were born male but believe that they are female. But you could point out that girls and boys are treated differently by society and that it makes for a different experience for a child with ASD. Sorry about your anxiety.

Blankspace4 · 23/06/2019 14:21

I wouldn’t let it stop you from participating.

Whether to include trans or not is a complex issue (for what it’s worth my view would be “no” also) but the reality is there just aren’t many individuals who would fit into this specific sample bracket.

Research is important to continue progressive understanding, awareness and treatments so I’d really encourage you not to let this hold you back from participating.